Cyclacel Announces Collaboration On Nephrology Applications Of CDK Inhibitors

Dundee, Scotland, UK - 14 September 2005 - Cyclacel Group plc (“Cyclacel”), the cell cycle-based biopharmaceutical company, announced today an evaluation and option agreement with Genzyme Corporation in the field of renal diseases involving certain of Cyclacel’s preclinical stage Cyclin-Dependent Kinase (CDK) inhibitor molecules.

Under the terms of the agreement Cyclacel granted Genzyme an exclusive option to license two preclinical stage CDK inhibitors for further development in renal diseases and certain related conditions. The agreement does not include any rights in oncology or other therapeutic areas.

The Cyclacel compounds are derived from multiple pharmacophores, act selectively on CDK enzyme targets and possess drug-like properties. Genzyme will conduct a preclinical evaluation of the optioned compounds, including assessing efficacy in relevant disease models. During the option period the parties may pursue a collaboration and license agreement with the objective of development and commercialization of the Cyclacel compounds. Financial terms of the option agreement were not disclosed.

Cyclacel scientists and academic collaborators have demonstrated the beneficial effects of pharmacological CDK inhibition in preclinical models of renal disease including lupus nephritis, crescentic glomerulonephritis, HIV associated nephropathy and IgA nephropathy.

Spiro Rombotis, Cyclacel’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are pleased to enter into this collaboration with Genzyme with the objective of exploring the utility of selected Cyclacel CDK inhibitors in the field of renal diseases. This transaction validates our belief that CDK inhibitors may have therapeutic applications beyond oncology. It also demonstrates our strategy of pursuing our oncology candidates to an advanced stage of clinical development before seeking alliances while seeking to partner other therapeutic areas outside cancer at an earlier stage.”

About Cyclacel ( www.cyclacel.com )
Cyclacel is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel, mechanism-targeted drugs to treat human cancers and other serious disorders. The company is currently evaluating seliciclib (CYC202), an orally-available Cyclin Dependent Kinase inhibitor, in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and B-cell hematological malignancies. CYC682 is an orally-available, cell cycle modulating nucleoside analog in Phase I clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. Cyclacel has eight additional programs at preclinical stages.

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